Cathcart (Cathcart)
Cathcart is a village in the Snowy Monaro Regional Council in southern New South Wales, Australia. The village is on the Mount Darragh Road, linking the town of Bombala with the port of Eden on the Far South Coast.
Prior to European settlement, the Ngarigo Aboriginal people were known to inhabit the lands around Cathcart. Their name for the area was Togranong.
A town was surveyed on pastoral lands known as "Taylors Flat" in 1857. The town was named for the British General George Cathcart, killed during the Crimean War. At this time, the export of wool and meat to Tasmania and trade in native animal hides were the main economic activity in the area The town would grow quickly, by virtue of its location on the route to Eden and the increased traffic associated with the discovery of gold at Kiandra becoming a significant local centre. At its peak, the town would boast three hotels, three churches, several sporting facilities, a racecourse and showgrounds, stock saleyards, a cemetery, a post office, a school and a police station. Additionally, there were several stores and two banks in the thriving town. Records show the estimated population of the district had reached 300 by 1901.
In 1865, a sawmill was established by Maurice McKinnery. The sawmill and a general store also owned by McKinnery operated until 1883, by which time economic activities had shifted towards dairy farming. Cathcart Co-Operative Dairy Society Ltd opened a butter factory in the town in 1895, closing down in January 1927 when falling butter prices rendered it unprofitable. The last dairy farm at Cathcart shifted to grazing activities in 1964.
By the 1970s, the town was in decline evidenced by the closure of the Catholic church in 1970 and the school in 1974 when just 10 students were enrolled. With modern methods of transportation reducing travel times, Cathcart's proximity to larger towns such as Bombala meant there was less need for the town to be self-sufficient. The closure of many businesses and facilities in Cathcart led to a decrease in population.
Prior to European settlement, the Ngarigo Aboriginal people were known to inhabit the lands around Cathcart. Their name for the area was Togranong.
A town was surveyed on pastoral lands known as "Taylors Flat" in 1857. The town was named for the British General George Cathcart, killed during the Crimean War. At this time, the export of wool and meat to Tasmania and trade in native animal hides were the main economic activity in the area The town would grow quickly, by virtue of its location on the route to Eden and the increased traffic associated with the discovery of gold at Kiandra becoming a significant local centre. At its peak, the town would boast three hotels, three churches, several sporting facilities, a racecourse and showgrounds, stock saleyards, a cemetery, a post office, a school and a police station. Additionally, there were several stores and two banks in the thriving town. Records show the estimated population of the district had reached 300 by 1901.
In 1865, a sawmill was established by Maurice McKinnery. The sawmill and a general store also owned by McKinnery operated until 1883, by which time economic activities had shifted towards dairy farming. Cathcart Co-Operative Dairy Society Ltd opened a butter factory in the town in 1895, closing down in January 1927 when falling butter prices rendered it unprofitable. The last dairy farm at Cathcart shifted to grazing activities in 1964.
By the 1970s, the town was in decline evidenced by the closure of the Catholic church in 1970 and the school in 1974 when just 10 students were enrolled. With modern methods of transportation reducing travel times, Cathcart's proximity to larger towns such as Bombala meant there was less need for the town to be self-sufficient. The closure of many businesses and facilities in Cathcart led to a decrease in population.
Map - Cathcart (Cathcart)
Map
Country - Australia
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The ancestors of Aboriginal Australians began arriving from south east Asia approximately 65,000 years ago, during the last ice age. Arriving by sea, they settled the continent and had formed approximately 250 distinct language groups by the time of European settlement, maintaining some of the longest known continuing artistic and religious traditions in the world. Australia's written history commenced with the European maritime exploration of Australia. The Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon was the first known European to reach Australia, in 1606. In 1770, the British explorer James Cook mapped and claimed the east coast of Australia for Great Britain, and the First Fleet of British ships arrived at Sydney in 1788 to establish the penal colony of New South Wales. The European population grew in subsequent decades, and by the end of the 1850s gold rush, most of the continent had been explored by European settlers and an additional five self-governing British colonies established. Democratic parliaments were gradually established through the 19th century, culminating with a vote for the federation of the six colonies and foundation of the Commonwealth of Australia on 1 January 1901. Australia has since maintained a stable liberal democratic political system and wealthy market economy.
Currency / Language
| ISO | Currency | Symbol | Significant figures |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUD | Australian dollar | $ | 2 |
| ISO | Language |
|---|---|
| EN | English language |